Murder/mining tale dishes chilly thrills

Steven C. Levi's new mystery, "Dead Men Do Come Back," not only provides a rollicking glimpse of the new Old West, it takes a discerning leap into the world of Alaska mining during the little-discussed early years of the last century.

Narrated in the first person by the likable but fictitious U.S. Marshal Gordon Whitford, the story is a slick and entertaining "who dun-it." Yet it is also a detailed portrait of life in and out of the fabled gold mines that operated near Juneau in Southeast Alaska in the early 1900s.

In this fictional tale of clever skullduggery, Levi also manages to educate the reader about the extraction, refining and transportation of gold ore during this period by weaving in actual details of early Alaska mining and history. His protagonist, Whitford, does a credible job of investigating the murder of a lone miner - one Chilly George Swanscombe - and subsequently the apparent theft of at least 250 pounds of gold ore that seems to disappear in the process of being transported by steamship from the Alaska Gastineau Mine in Juneau to a refinery in Seattle, not once but twice.

Who could have pulled off such an audacious caper? Will Whitford catch the bad guys? And how exactly did they manage it under the watchful eyes of not only the federal marshal but also mine officials and armed guards sent to protect the gold 24/7 and to escort the shipments to the Federal Reserve in Seattle.

Despite the customary disclaimer on the copyright page, Levi includes actual historical figures in his story, though, hopefully, in fictitious settings and situations. For example, mining engineer Bartlett Thane was actually the managing director of the Alaska Gastineau Mine in 1910 and is credited with pioneering hydroelectric power in Juneau.

Levi, a historian who has lived in Anchorage for 40 years, has written some 80 books about various aspects of Alaska's colorful past. In this novel, he seems to have crafted the story with an additional objective. "Dead Men" also gives readers a compelling snapshot of life for the average person in Southeast Alaska long before statehood but well after the waning of the tumultuous turn-of-the-century Gold Rush era.

This book is a good read for anyone interested in early Alaska mining or life in territorial Alaska, especially in Southeast, during the early years of the 20th century.

Published by Hong Kong-based Crime Wave Press, "Dead Men Do Come Back" is available online at http://www.crimewavepress.com or at http://www.amazon.com